Lake McDonald Fishing in Bottineau County, North Dakota

• Overview

  Bottineau County in North Dakota is where Lake McDonald sits. It sits in rolling bush. This is a pocket water of some 22 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is a small entry by Bottineau County standards. For supplies, Bottineau is 12 miles out. For a city, Winnipeg is 156 miles off. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Lake McDonald

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Reported across Bottineau County: bluegill, brown bullhead and northern pike. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. On Lake McDonald the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 65°F on average, January about 2°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around late April. Break-up near late April, freeze-up near mid November: that is the shape of an average year. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. The season on Lake McDonald rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. You can launch from a ramp around half a mile away. The car has to stay half a mile away, which shapes how much tackle you bring. A pier half a mile from here gives a platform over deeper water. A camping area sits within half a mile of here. Facilities run to toilets half a mile from the water. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. The nearest alternative is School Section Lake, 0.6 miles out. Check the current arrangement for Lake McDonald.